Bracket for mounting decorations on a building front

ABSTRACT

A BRACKET ASSEMBLY FOR ATTACHING AN ORNAMENT TO A BUILDING ROOF LINE OR MARQUEE INCLUDING: AN ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT HAVING ONE MEMBER WHICH IS ADJUSTABLE HORIZONTALLY TO SNUGLY FIT OVER THE TOP OF THE ROOF LINE OR MARQUEE AND ANOTHER MEMBER WHICH EXTENDS ALONG THE FRONT SIDE OF THE ROOF LINE OR MARQUEE AND IS VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE, AND AN ORNAMENT HOLDER WHICH INTERLOCKS WITH SAID OTHER MEMBER.

May 23, 1972 BRACKET FOR MOUNTING DECORATIONS ON A BUILDING FhONT FiledJuly 30, 1970 L. J. SNELLER v2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOK N 5 Y5 y 1972 1..J. SNELLER BRACKET FOR MOUNTING UISIGOIM'I'KONS UN UUIHKXC: 'rih FiledJuly 30, 1970 2 Sheets5heei 2 INVENTOR.

BY LEE J. SNELLER zzyg flwtwrlwf Arr mm United States Patent 3,664,626BRACKET FOR MOUNTING DECORATIONS ON A BUILDING FRONT Lee J. Sneller,Fresno, Calif., assiguor to Valley Decorating Company, Pinedale, Calif.Filed July 30, 1970, Ser. No. 59,576 Int. Cl. E04b 7/18; F21v 33/00 U.S.Cl. 248-224 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Field of invention This invention relates to a bracketassembly for mounting an ornament such as a holiday decoration on abuilding front or marquee.

Description of Prior art Building front decorations such as those usedseasonally during holidays have typically been mounted flush to abuilding face by either bolting the decorations directly to the face orhanging them by cables attached to the roof line. An alternativemounting technique is to stretch a cable across the building face andhang the decorations, like clothes on a clothesline, on it. The cabletechniques are preferable over the bolting technique since the formerrequire drilling fewer bolt holes in the building front.

Many building fronts are not adapted to mount decorations in the abovedescribed manners. Sometimes there is no front above the marquee andthus nowwhere to mount the decorations. In other instances the roof linedesign is such that the decorations cannot be mounted on the facewithout drilling numerous bolt holes. Other fronts have a marquee whichextends so far out from the building face that a decoration mountedflush to the building face would not be readily seen.

Also many seasonal decorations are designed to be mounted on poles suchas light poles rather than on building fronts. These pole mounteddecorations usually have profiles which require them to be mounted suchthat they extend outwardly away from the mounting. Accordingly, thathave not generally been heretofore useful for mounting on a buildingfront.

The present invention is directed to a unique bracket assembly which maybe used to mount building front decorations as well as pole mounteddecorations to building fronts or marquees. These novel brackets areadjustable such that they may be employed with a variety of roof linesand marquees; many of which could not heretofore be decorated withoutsignificantly defacing the building front. The brackets of thisinvention which are specifically designed to be used for mountingdecorations on building fronts require either no bolt holes or only asingle bolt hole. The brackets of this invention especially adapted forafiixing decorations to marquees require no bolt holes. Accordingly,these brackets provide a means for mounting both pole mounted andbuilding front decorations with only insignificant or no defacing of thebuilding front.

3,664,626 Patented May 23, 1972 "Ice DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Thebracket of this invention is adapted to be affixed over a buildingprojection such as a roof line or a marquee. Such projections or aportion of such projections will usually have a generally vertical innerside and a generally vertical outer side. The bracket comprises twointerlocking portions: an adjustable support and an ornament holder. Thesupport portion is adjustable horizontally to fit the width of theprojection and vertically so that the ornament may be positioned at thedesired height on the building face or marquee.

The support portion of the bracket is comprised of four members. Thefirst is an elongated member which is longer than the width of theprojection and is adapted to extend across the top of the projectionwhen the support is in place. The preferred embodiment of this member isa fiat plate with a longitudinal slot which extends over at least asignificant portion of its length. The second mem ber is also elongatedand is affixed transversely to the outer end of the first member. It isadapted to extend downwardly from the first member along the outer sideof the projection. The preferred embodiment of this second member is aninverted L-shaped plate which overhangs the outer shoulder of theprojection. The connection between the second member and first membermay be permanent, e.g., a weld, or semipermanent, e.g., bolts.

The third member is elongated and is adapted to be connectedtransversely to the first member inwardly of the second member such thatit may be removed therefrom and adjusted horizontally relative thereto.When the support is in place over the projection the third memberextends downwardly along the inner side of the projection. The preferredembodiment of this third member is an inverted L-shaped plate whichoverhangs the inner shoulder of the projection. The first member-thirdmember connection may take the form of a bolt or stud extendingperpendicularly from the horizontal surface of the surface of the thirdmember through the slot in the first member and a nut which fits overthe end of the bolt. By sliding the bolt in the slot the third membermay be adjusted horizontally to fit the width of the projection.

The fourth member is also elongated and is adapted to be connected tothe second member such that it may be adjusted vertically relative tothe second member. When the suport is mounted on the projection thismember eX- tends downwardly from the second member along the outer sideof the projection. The means for connecting this fourth member to thesecond member may be essentially the same as the means used to connectthe third member to the first member. A means for receiving the holderportion of the bracket assembly is positioned on the outer side of thefourth member.

When the support portion is to be used for affixing a decoration to amarquee it includes a fifth elongated member which is connected to thelower end of the fourth member and is adapted to extend inwardlytherefrom along the bottom of the marquee. The preferred embodiment ofthis fifth member is an L-shaped plate which overhands the lower outershoulder of the marquee.

The preferred embodiment of the above described bracket assembly may befurther understood by reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bracketassembly of this invention showing the support portion attached to abuilding wall which projects upwardly from the building roof and theholder portion disassociated from the support portion holding a candleornament.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective, telescopic view of the supportportion of the bracket assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the support portion ofthe bracket assembly of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3.

(FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a variation of the support portion ofthe bracket assembly of FIG. 1 modified to be attached to a buildingmarquee rather than a building wall.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the support portion of FIG. 4taken along line 55.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a bracket assembly for mounting an ornament,such as candle ornament l, to a building wall 2 having a projection 3which extends upwardly from building roof 7 and includes an inner orrear side 4, an outer or front side 5 and a top 6. The assembly includestwo portions: a support generally designated 8, which is attached overprojection 3 and an ornament holder, generally designated 9.

The basic parts of support portion 8 are flat, slotted, horizontalmember 10, elongated L-shaped members 11, 12 and flat slotted verticalmember 13. All of these parts may be made from conventional flat iron ofto A inch thickness. Member consists of a pair of elongated parallelspaced bars 17, 18 of rectangular cross section which are rigidlyinterconnected at one end (inner) by a small transverse bar 19. Asillustrated in FIG. 1, member 10 is sufficiently long so that whensupport 8 is positioned over projection 3 member 10 extends across atleast the entire width of top 6. L-shaped member 11 is rigidly mountedon the forward ends of bars 17, 18 and is de signed to overhang theouter shoulder of projection 3.

The horizontal segment 20 of elongated L-shaped member 11 is rigidlyconnected at approximately the center of its outer face to theundersides of the ends of bars 17, 18 opposite those with its outer edgeflush with the ends of bars 17, 18. When mounted over projection 3,segment 20 lies fiat against top 6. The vertical segment 21 of member 11extends downwardly along side 5 of wall 2. The inner faces of segment20, 21 are padded with padding 22 to prevent the marring or scratchingof top 6 and side 5. Padding 22 may be made of any resilient,non-abrasive material such as felt or sponge rubber.

Elongated L-shaped member 12 is adapted to be re movably andhorizontally adjustably attached transversely to the undersides of bars17, 18 and overhang the inner shoulder of projection 3. The outer faceof horizontal segment 23 of member 12 has a small transverse bar 24 ofrectangular cross section and width slightly smaller than the width ofslot 26 between bars 17, 18 rigidly aflixed at approximately itslongitudinal center. A stud 25 extends upwardly from approximately thecenter of bar 24. In its assembled position stud 25 and bar 24 extendthrough slot 26 in a tongue-in-groove relationship and member 12 isattached to the underside of member 10 by placing washer 27 and hexheadnut 28 onto stud 25. Thus member 12 may be adjusted horizontally to fitsnugly against the inner shoulder of projection 3 by loosening nut 28and sliding bar 24 and stud 25 along slot 26 to the desired position andretightening nut 28.

Elongated vertical member 13 is of similar construction to member 10 andis attached to elongated L-shaped member 11 in essentially the samemanner as elongated L- shaped member 12 is attached to member 10. Themain differences are that member 13 is much longer than member 10 and isattached to member 11 such that it may be adjusted vertically ratherthan horizontally. As in the case of member 10, member 13 includes apair of parallel spaced bars 34, of rectangular cross section which forma slot 36 and are interconnected at one end (lower) by a smalltransverse bar 37 of rectangular cross section. A small flat bar 38 ofrectangular cross section and width slightly smaller than the width ofslot 36 is rigidly and transversely connected at approximately thecenter of the outer face of segment 21 of member 11. A stud 39 extendsoutwardly from the center of bar 38. In its assembled position bar 38and stud 39 extend through slot 36 in a 4 tongue-in-groove typerelationship and member 13 is attached to the outer side of segment 21by placing washer 40 and hexhead nut 41 onto stud 39. Thus by looseningnut 40 member 13 may be adjusted vertically by sliding it upwardly ordownwardly relative to bar 38 and stud 39 to the desired position andthen retightening nut 41.

If a heavy ornament is to be supported it is desirable to bolt thebottom end of member 13 to side 5 to prevent member 13 from pivotingabout stud 39.

A pair of short channel shaped members 42, 43 are rigidily attached tothe outer face of member 13; one near its top and the other intermediateits top and bar 37. One side wall of the channel is afiixed to bar 34and the other sidewall is affixed to bar 35 such that the channelmembers 42, 43 extend outwardly from member 13 with their openingsaligned in a generally vertical position. Channel members 42, 43 are themeans for receiving holder 9 in interlocking relationship with support8.

As illustrated in 'FIG. 1, holder 9 includes a thin flat bar 44 and apair of struts 45, 46 which interconnect bar 44 with candle ornament 1.Bar 44 comprises a hook portion 47 at one end; a fiat vertical portion48, one end of which is integral with hook portion 47; a downwardly andinwardly inclined portion 49 integral with portion 48; and a flatvertical end portion 50, one end of which is integral with the lowermostend of portion 49. To place holder 9 in interlocking relationship withsupport 8 the free end of end portion 50 is slid into the opening ofchannel member 43 and the free end of hook portion 47 is slid down intothe opening of channel member 42.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a bracket assembly of this invention which isadapted to be used to mount an ornament to a marquee, generallydesignated 54, having a horizontal portion 55 which normally extendsoutwardly from a building front and a vertical portion 56 which extendsupwardly from the outward edge of horizontal portion 55. This assembly,as that of FIG. 1, includes two portions: a support, generallydesignated 57, and an ornament holder (shown in phantom in FIG. 5),generally designated 58. The parts of support 57 which fit over the topof portion 56 of marquee 54, namely elongated vertical member '59 andelongated L-shaped members 60, 61, are identical in construction,function and interconnection to their counterparts in support 8. Thedifferences between support 57 and support 8 are in the construction ofvertical member 62 as compared to vertical member 13.

Elongated vertical member 62 comprises of a pair of parallel spaced bars63, 64 of rectangular cross section which are interconnected at theirupper ends by a small transverse bar 65 of rectangular cross section. Anelongated L-shaped member 66 is rigidly attached at about the center ofthe outward face of its vertical segment 67 to the inner sides of theopposite (lower) ends of each of bars 63, 64. [In its assembledposition, L-shaped member 66 extends down and around the outer lowershoulder of marquee 64 with its vertical segment 67 extending upwardlyalong the outer side of portion 56 and its horizontal segment 68extending inwardly along the bottom of portion 55. As in the case ofL-shaped members 11, 12, 60 and 61, a padding 69 is interposed betweenthe inner surfaces of segments 67, 68 and the mating surfaces of themarquee to prevent marring or scratching of the latter.

The means for attaching member 63, to member 61 is the same as the meansused to attach member 13 to member 11.

FIG. 4 also illustrates a modified means for interconnecting the supportportion of the bracket to the holder portion thereof. Instead ofemploying a pair of channel members connected directly to the slotted,vertical member a pair of thin plates 70, 71 are rigidly mountedtransversely on the outer sides of bars 63, 64 intermediate the endsthereof. A pair of channel members 72, 73, respectively, are mounted oneach plate 70,

71 in the same fashion as channel members 42, 43 are afiixed to member13. Correlatively, holder 58 is different from holder 9 in that hookportion 74 and end portion 75 of bar176 of the former each have twoprongs (not shown) which fit into the pairs of channel members 72, 73 ininterlocking relationship.

Various modifications of the structures and interconnection of the abovedescribed preferred embodiment which are obvious to those of ordinaryskill in the bracket and support art are intended to be within the scopeof the invention. For instance the shape of various members may bealtered to accommodate particular roof or marquee designs and clamp typeconnections may be used in place of the above described tongue-in-grooveconnections between the first and third and second and fourth members.It is also apparent that the bracket of this invention may be used formounting decorations on projections other than those on buildings. Forinstance these brackets may be used to mount decorations on paradefloats, large advertising signs and the like.

I claim:

'1. A bracket assembly for aflixing an ornament to a projection on abuilding said projection having a generally vertical inner side and agenerally vertical outer side, comprising:

(a) a first elongated member of greater length than the width of saidprojection and adapted to extend across the top of said projection;

(b) a second elongated member rigidly affixed transversely to the outerend of said first member and adapted to extend downwardly therefromalong the outer side of said projection;

(c) a third elongated member adapted to be connected transversely tosaid first member in removable and generally horizontally adjustablerelationship and extend downwardly along the inner side of saidprojection;

(d) means for connecting said third member to said first member inremovable and generally horizontally adjustable relationship;

(e) a fourth elongated member adapted to be connected to said secondmember in removable and generally vertically adjustable relationship andextend downwardly from said second member along the outer side of saidprojection;

(f) means for connecting said fourth member to said second member inremovable and generally vertically adjustable relationship;

(g) holder means for rigidly holding said ornaments;

and

(h) means on said fourth member for receiving said holder means ininterlocking relationship.

2. A bracket assembly according to claim 1 wherein:

(i) said second member is L-shaped and is adapted to overhang the outershoulder of said projection; and

(j) said third member is L-shaped and is adapted to overhang the innershoulder of said projection.

3. A bracket assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

(k) said first member includes a first pair of elongated spaced,parallel flat bars rigidly interconnected at their inner ends;

(1) said fourth member includes a second pair of elongated, spaced,parallel fiat bars rigidly interconnected at their upper ends;

(m) said means for connecting said third member to said first memberincludes: a small flat bar of rectangular cross section having a widthslightly less than the space between said first pair of elongated,spaced parallel fiat bars rigidly mounted transversely on the horizontalsegment of said L-shaped thirdmember; a stud extending normally fromsaid small flat bar; and a nut adapted to fit onto said stud, said studand said bar being adapted to fit into the space between said first pairof elongated, spaced parallel flat bars; and

(u) said means for connecting said fourth member to said second memberincludes: a second small flat bar of rectangular-cross section having awidth slightly less than the space between said second pair ofelongated, spaced parallel flat bars rigidly mounted transversely on thehorizontal segment of said L- shaped second member; a second studextending normally from said second small flat bar; and a second nutadapted to fit onto said second stud, said second stud and said secondsmall flat bar being adapted to fit into the space between said secondpair of elongated, spaced parallel flat bars.

4. The bracket assembly according to claim '1 wherein:

(i) said projection is a marquee; and

(j) said assembly includes a fifth elongated member rigidly afiixedtransversely to the lower end of said fourth member and adapted toextend inwardly therefrom along the bottom of said marquee.

'5. The bracket assembly according to claim 2 wherein:

(k) said projection is a marquee; and

(1) said assembly includes an elongated L-shaped member rigidly affixedtransversely to the lower end of said fourth member and adapted tooverhang the lower outer shoulder of said marquee.

6. The bracket assembly according to claim 3 wherein:

(0) said projection is a marquee; and

(p) said assembly includes an elongated L-shaped member rigidly aflixedtransversely to the lower end of said fourth member and adapted tooverhang the lower outer shoulder of said marquee.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,017,982 2/1912 LOhr 182-60 X3,578,282 5/1971 Olsen 248-2l4 2,714,044 7/ 1955 Otani l8260 1,209,83912/1916 Hokenson 248236'X 539,200 5/ 1895 Strub 248236 X J. FRANKLINFOSS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

